Some well-known facts about Roger Miller include him being a prominent singer and songwriter who became famous because of his country music hits and honky-tonk style of songs. He is one of the most celebrated country music artists with several top-of-the-charts singles, making him an iconic musician in the history of country music.
But although he is one of the notable artists in the industry, there are still some fun facts that not many of his fans know. And to share it with you, here are some facts about Roger Miller that you probably didn’t know.
1. Hank Williams and Bob Willis Influenced Him to Become a Musician
When he was still young, Miller had admitted that one of his past times as an introverted child was to compose a song, besides daydreaming. But in high school and when he started listening to Grand Ole Opry and other musicians in the country, he had considered Hank Williams and Bob Willis as his idols. This has further influenced him in his dreams of being a famous singer and songwriter in the genre.
2. He Enlisted Himself to Be a Member of the United States Army
To pursue his dream, he started to run away and perform in Oklahoma and even in Texas. At 17 years old, he stole a guitar because of his desperation to write songs. But because his conscience could not bear it, he decided to turn himself in the next day. And to avoid going to jail, he enlisted in the military to join the Korean war.
3. He Has 11 Grammy Awards under His Name
We all know he had a successful career in the industry, but not many had realized that he had bagged a total of 11 Grammy awards in just two years, from 1964 to1965. And in the late ’90s, two of his singles were inducted as Grammy Hall of Fame Songs. Aside from this, Roger Miller won Broadway’s Tony Awards and many other winnings in his belt. He was also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
4. He Was Married Three Times in His Lifetime
Yes, you heard it right — Roger Miller was married three times. When he was 17, he married Barbara Crow and had four children with her. But upon moving to California, the two got divorced, and in 1964, he decided to re-marry again with Leah Kendrick from San Antonio. He had two more children with his second wife. After 14 years of marriage, they decided to take their separate ways. Lastly, Miller married Mary Arnold, whom he met through Kenny Rogers.
And those are the interesting facts about Roger Miller not many would know of. To this day, he and his songs are still celebrated as some of the pillars of country music.
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